Category: Democratic Republic of Congo

One of Africa’s most stunning parks – Virunga in the Democratic Republic of Congo – has suffered a major blow following the killing of a ranger, and the abduction of two British tourists, who were later released.

The attack has forced the park’s boss – Belgian prince Emmanuel de Merode – to announce a suspension of tourism.

This will be another setback to efforts to earn much-needed income to protect the World Heritage Site from the lawlessness that has gripped the region since the fall of long-serving ruler Mobutu Sese Seko more than two decades ago.

How dangerous is Virunga?

Boasting Africa’s most diverse wildlife, Virunga – which stretches across 7,800 sq km (3,000 sq miles) – is one of the most dangerous parks on the continent.

The extent of the threat is reflected by the fact that between 1,500 and 2,000 armed fighters – according to Mr De Merode – roam Virunga and its surrounding areas.

They belong to numerous different rebel groups, who battle for control of the region’s rich resources.

They fish illegally, slaughter its animals, fell its trees – and kill, rape and abduct locals and foreigners alike.

Read more from source: Gorillas, guns and guerrillas – a deadly mix in an African park

The Britons were visiting Virunga National Park when they were ambushed by men who killed the park ranger travelling with them.

Two Britons who were kidnapped and held hostage in the Democratic Republic of Congo have said they are “very relieved” to have been released.

Bethan Davies and Robert Jesty were among three people abducted by unidentified armed men while visiting Virunga National Park, a renowned gorilla sanctuary in the east of the country.

In a statement, the pair said: “We are very relieved that there has been a positive outcome to the kidnapping and are very grateful for the excellent support we have received. We do not plan to comment further.”

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he was “delighted” to announce their release.

“I pay tribute to the DRC authorities and the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation for their tireless help during this terrible case,” he said.

A 25-year-old park ranger travelling with Ms Davies and Mr Jesty was killed and their driver was also taken captive, a park spokesman said.

Read more from source: Britons kidnapped in DR Congo gorilla sanctuary ‘relieved’ to be released

A search is continuing for two British tourists who were kidnapped in a national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

DRC army spokesman Major Guillaume Kaiko Ndjike told Reuters that soldiers had joined rangers in the search operation at the Virunga National Park.

The park’s director said the tourists’ vehicle was ambushed by gunmen, who killed a ranger and seized the driver.

The Foreign Office said it was supporting the families.

It also said it was in close contact with the DRC authorities.

Local media reports say the ranger shot dead was a female guard, while the UK citizens – who have not been named – were taken along with their Congolese driver.

Park director Emmanuel de Merode told the AFP news agency: “I confirm that our vehicle was attacked. Three people were kidnapped, including two tourists.”

The incident took place just north of the city of Goma, North Kivu province.

The BBC’s Louise Dewast, reporting from the country’s capital Kinshasa, said the situation was “very serious”.

Read more from source: Search for kidnapped UK tourists in DR Congo

They were taken while visiting the Virunga National Park, a renowned gorilla sanctuary in the east of the African country.

Two British citizens have been kidnapped in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Foreign Office has confirmed.

The pair are believed to have been visiting the Virunga National Park, a gorilla sanctuary in the east of the African country, when they were abducted on Friday.

The Britons were among a group of people taken hostage, according to a spokesperson for the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN).

A female park ranger travelling with them was killed and their driver was also abducted, a park spokesman said.

Their vehicle was ambushed while bringing the tourists from Kibumba to the city of Goma, Joel Wengamulay, ICCN spokesman told the UN-backed Radio Okapi.

“For the moment the (ICCN) cannot communicate much about the incident because the hostages are still in captivity. That would put their lives in danger,” he said, adding that investigations have begun into the attack.

Read more from source: Two Britons kidnapped after visiting gorilla sanctuary in DR Congo

The threatened Virunga National Park in DR Congo announced on Thursday it has banned the felling of trees throughout the nature reserve.

“The management of the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature wishes to bring to the attention of the resident of Beni and its surroundings that it is forbidden to fell trees in the park,” a statement read.

“The incentives to destroy the park are contrary to the rule of law and destroy the common heritage for the benefit of individual and illicit enrichment.”

Virunga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is threatened by numerous armed groups in the region, including Ugandan rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

It is Africa’s oldest national park and is Africa’s most biologically diverse protected area of some 7,800 square kilometres (3,000 square miles), according to its website.

Joel Wengamulay, a communication officer for the park, told AFP that “unknown people sell spaces inside the park for $250 (210 euro) and take advantage of the situation to cut down trees and make more money” in the Beni area, especially near the Ugandan border.

Read more from source: Under-threat DR Congo national park bans tree-felling

Democratic Republic of Congo’s government is seeking to reclassify swathes of two UNESCO-listed parks so that oil exploration can be carried out there, an investigative group said.

The London-based NGO Global Witness said it had seen documents about a scheme to “redraw the boundaries” of the fabled Salonga and Virunga national parks, home to many of the planet’s endangered species.

The move would remove protected status from areas for which oil licences have been awarded, thus enabling exploration there to go ahead, it said on Thursday.

A special commission of ministers and DRC civil servants met on April 27 to push through the plan, it said.

The group said documents signed by DRC’s oil minister, Aime Ngoi Muken, set out the legal framework for changing the areas’ status.

“The proposals ride roughshod over Congo’s UNESCO commitments and are incompatible with the parks’ World Heritage Status,” Global Witness said.

More than a fifth of the Virunga National Park, the oldest wildlife reserve in Africa, would be affected by the reclassification, it said.

Read more from source: DR Congo planning to allow oil exploration in national parks: NGO

Five park rangers and a driver have been killed in an attack at Congo’s Virunga National Park.

The park, which is home to critically endangered mountain gorillas, confirmed the ambush in a statement. It said a sixth ranger was wounded in the ambush on Monday.

While there was no immediately claim of responsibility, suspicion immediately fell on militia groups that are active in and around the famed wildlife park.

The Unesco World Heritage site is home to about a quarter of the remaining mountain gorillas in the wild.

The gorillas are poaching targets and their habitat is being destroyed by deforestation in part to supply charcoal.

The park is also home to eastern lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, okapis, lions, elephants and hippos.

But it is located in DR Congo’s North Kivu province, where armed groups are fighting for control of territorial and natural resources, and poaching is a major threat.

The park’s director, Emmanuel de Merode, a Belgian national, was himself wounded in a road ambush between the park and Goma, the capital of North Kivu, in May 2014.

On April 2, a park ranger died in an attack by armed men.

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